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by blk0912



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Barson, Barsonoah, F/M, s21 squad plays a minor role in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:35:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25778269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blk0912/pseuds/blk0912
Summary: Now that Noah has learned how to use Facetime, he's going to use it to call someone he misses a lot-his Uncle Rafa
Relationships: Noah Porter Benson & Olivia Benson, Rafael Barba & Noah Porter Benson, Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson
Comments: 6
Kudos: 87





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**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when I rewatch SVU episodes. I get random plot bunnies that won't leave me alone, and then my fellow Barson people on Twitter have to encourage me to write about it :) I promise I'm working on my other fics, but this demanded to be written. 
> 
> Special thanks to motherbearof3, adrianna_m_scovill, Rebecca and Sandra for helping me brainstorm ideas for this.

* * *

“I’m going to go do my homework.”

Olivia looked up from the case file she was looking through. This was a relatively new statement from her son, but ever since she’d installed a desk in his room, he’d been better about getting his homework done. She had even gotten him an iPad so he could watch videos from his teachers or for school assignments. It was also useful during nights when she had to work late-if she couldn’t be there to say goodnight to him in person, she could at least still see his face. He was also allowed a bit of time to watch approved Netflix shows and movies every week. So far, the arrangement was going well. 

“Okay. Let me know if you need my help.”

“I will.”

* * *

Once he had shut his door, Noah walked over to his desk and opened his iPad before taking out the piece of paper he’d written a particular email address down on. After carefully typing in the address into FaceTime, he waited for the call to connect. He smiled when his Uncle Rafa’s face appeared on the screen a few minutes later. 

“Noah? Amigo, is everything okay?” 

“Uncle Rafa!” Noah said excitedly before frowning slightly. “I miss you.”

Rafael’s expression softened. “I miss you, too, amigo.”

“Uncle Rafa, what does ‘malpractice’ mean?”

“Uhm. Basically, that someone who was supposed to help people, like a doctor, for example, hurt them instead. Why?”

Noah shrugged. “I heard Michael’s mom talking about it when I was over at his house the other night.”

“Why didn’t you just ask your mom?”

Noah shrugged again. “She’s busy.”

“She’s never too busy for you, amigo, you know that.”

Hearing the voice of his favorite person aside from his mother, Noah’s eyes began to water. He bit his lip to try and keep the tears at bay, something Rafael noticed right away.

“Amigo, what’s wrong?”

“I miss you. I want you to come home. It’s not the same without you.”

“Noah…”

“Don’t you want to see me and Mom anymore?”

“Of course I do. But I’m not in New York right now.”

“When will you be back?”

“I’m not sure.”

At this point, Noah could no longer hold back the tears. “Come home, Uncle Rafa. Please. I miss you. Mom misses you, too. I know she does. And you said that you miss us, too. So why can’t you just _come home_?”

Seeing Noah’s tears, Rafael wished he wasn’t thousands of miles away. He loved Olivia and Noah more than anything and all he truly wanted was to be with them. He couldn’t admit to Noah, but he’d been asking himself the same question lately. He liked his job well enough, but he kind of regretted taking it. He regretted leaving the DA’s office, but most of all, he regretted leaving Olivia and Noah. 

“Noah, amigo, don’t cry. Please. I promise I will visit soon, okay? I’ll take you out for ice cream, if it’s okay with your mom.”

Noah shook his head. “But visit means you’ll leave again.”

“I wish I could promise you more right now, but I _can’t_ . I’m _so_ sorry, amigo.”

“Maybe we could go to a show?”

“Sure. What do you want to see?”

“My dance school has a show every year for the older kids. It’s Mom’s weekend to work, though. She said she would give Lucy money to take me, but I want to with _you_.”

“When is it?”

“In three weeks.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“ _Really_?”

Rafael smiled at him. “Really. I’ll talk to your mom about it. Speaking of your mom, does she know you called me?”

“No…”

“Noah.”

“I just wanted to talk to you. Mom said you were busy, though.”

“I’m never too busy for you or your mom.”

“Will you help me with the rest of my homework?”

Happy to see Noah’s mood improving, Rafael knew he’d agree to just about anything to keep it that way. “Sure, amigo. What do you have?”

* * *

Hearing voices coming from Noah’s room, Olivia quietly opened the door. She could see he was talking to someone on the iPad. Listening closely, she recognized Rafael’s voice and could hear him explaining something to Noah. The boy listened attentively before writing something down on the piece of paper in front of him. Deciding to leave them be for now, she closed the door and took out her phone to text Fin.

_Noah called Rafael_

**_You surprised?_ **

_Not really, no_

**_Maybe you have some thinking to do_ **

_No need. His place is home with us. Can you watch Noah? I need to run an errand._

**_Be right there_ **

* * *

“Captain Benson, what can I do for you?” Jack McCoy asked as he saw Olivia enter his office.

“Replace Hadid with Barba. Consider it your apology.”

“Apology? To whom?”

“To me. For running my best friend, the best ADA that SVU has ever had, out of town. To Rafael, for giving him such a hard time about not prosecuting Aaron Householder, for taking the case from him and giving it to _Peter Stone_ to prosecute and then just sticking my squad with him for a year.”

“Rafael is the one who resigned.”

Olivia narrowed her eyes at the older man and then placed her hands flat on his desk, leaning forward to look him in the eye. “ _You_ made Rafael feel like he had no other choice. _You_ made him leave, now _you_ get him back.”

“Is that a threat, Captain?”

Olivia laughed humorlessly. “If I were to threaten you, you’d know it. But let’s be clear. If I _wanted_ to find out something about you, you can bet I _would_. I’m simply making a strong suggestion.”

McCoy simply nodded. “Give me a few days.”

Olivia nodded, straightening and then walking out of the room, letting the door slam behind her with a satisfying _thud_.

* * *

“Uncle Fin?” Noah asked when he returned to the living room after hanging up with Rafael. “Where’s my mom?”

“She had to run some errands. She didn’t want ta disturb ya,” Fin answered. “Did you get your homework done?”

Noah nodded. “Will you play a game with me?”

“Sure.”

* * *

Once she had returned home, Olivia thanked Fin again and then sat with her son on the couch.

“So,” she said, pulling his legs over her lap. “I heard you talking to Uncle Rafa.”

“I miss him. I wanted him to help me with my homework.”

“Where did you get his email address?”

“I copied it. You wrote it down and left it on the table.”

“Noah.”

Noah’s eyes turned watery. “I just wanted to talk to Uncle Rafa. I wish he would come home.”

Olivia hugged him close. “I know, sweet boy,” she said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I do, too.”

Noah returned his mother’s hug, holding onto her tightly as he cried. He didn’t see her blinking back tears of her own.

* * *

“Chloe’s ID on a scale of one to shaky?” Sonny asked, going over the case with the rest of the squad. 

“Uh…” Amanda blew out a breath. “Well, she…she knew his face from her hail-me app, so she could have been influenced…”

“Oh, you think?”

“Chloe was assaulted in that car,” Olivia added, with nods of agreement from Fin, Kat and Amanda..

“Yeah, maybe. Or maybe it was another car, but for now I gotta keep Mr. Syid in holding for a crime he probably didn’t commit because I don’t know for sure whether or not he actually _did_ commit it. On top of all that, I have to prove an impossible case against another lawyer and I have a DV vic who won’t cooperate,” Sonny ranted, running a hand through his hair and beginning to pace.

“Really, Carisi, I thought I was a better mentor than that,” a new voice cut in. “I guess it’s still up to me to save SVU cases.”

Olivia spun around at the sound of a voice she’d recognize anywhere. “Oh my God. Rafa,” she said before promptly rushing over to him and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. 

“Oof,” she heard him say with a soft chuckle. 

“Friend of yours?” Kat asked, looking between Sonny, Amanda, and Fin.

“Our former ADA,” Fin answered. 

“What are you doing here?” Olivia asked as she pulled away slightly so she could look at him. 

“I heard something about a certain someone _strongly suggesting_ Hadid be replaced as Bureau Chief.”

“ _You_ are the new bureau chief?” Amanda asked.

“Happy to see your skills haven’t dulled, Detective Rollins.”

Olivia laughed, burying her face in Rafael’s shoulder. She didn’t care that her entire squad was watching her. She’d missed Rafael too much to let him go just yet.

“ _Oh grazie a Dio_ ,” Sonny said as he sank down into a nearby chair, eliciting a chuckle from Fin. 

“We’ll give you two a minute,” Fin said, motioning for the other three to follow him. 

* * *

Once her squad had left her alone with Rafael, Olivia lifted her head and reached up to cup Rafael’s face in her hands. 

“You’re really here,” she said softly, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. “I’ve missed you _so much_.”

Rafael leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. “Me, too. I promise we’ll talk more later and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. But for now, we need to work.”

“I can’t believe McCoy actually listened to me,” Olivia said as she reluctantly stepped away.

“I think you scared him, _querida_.”

Olivia laughed. “It was worth it.”

* * *

It would be almost twelve hours before Rafael and Olivia got any time alone together. He had long discarded his suit jacket, vest, and tie, and rolled up his shirtsleeves. They were sitting together on the couch in her office, her head resting on his shoulder. 

“So, what prompted your trip to McCoy’s office?” Rafael asked, propping his feet up on the coffee table.

“I heard Noah talking to you last week.”

“Does he know that you know he called me?”

“Yes. Heard you helped him with his homework.”

“As much as I could.”

“That was sweet of you, Rafa.”

“I wanted to reach through the screen and hug him when he started crying,” Rafael confessed. “God, Liv. It broke my heart to see him sad. To know there was nothing I could physically do to comfort him.”

“Are you trying to tell me I’m not the only one who weaseled their way into your heart?”

“You know the answer to that.”

Olivia lifted her head and then reached up to cup Rafael’s cheek in her hand, gently turning his face towards her. Brown eyes locked with green as Rafael lifted his hand to cup the back of Olivia’s head. Closing her eyes, Olivia leaned forward and brushed her lips with his, nearly groaning when she felt him immediately return the kiss. 

“I love you,” Rafael said after a few more kisses. “I’ve loved you for years and I should have told you that instead of leaving the way that I did.”

“I love you, too,” Olivia replied. “It’s been years for me, too. I wanted you to say it before you left, but you’re saying it now and that’s all that matters.”

“You know I love Noah, too, right?”

Olivia smiled and nodded. “I know. He’s going to be so excited to see you. Fair warning, we aren’t going to let you out of our sight anytime soon, though.”

Rafael chuckled as he pulled her close. “I’m perfectly okay with that.”

Olivia rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist as she closed her eyes. “ _Duerme, mi amor_.”

* * *

Nearly forty-eight hours later, the cases had been taken care of as much as possible for the time being and everyone could finally go home. 

“Come home with me?” Olivia asked Rafael as she packed up her bag. 

“I need to stop at my office and grab my bag, but then, yes, absolutely. There’s no place I’d rather be,” Rafael answered, his tie hanging loosely around his neck and his vest and jacket hanging over his arm. 

Olivia stepped up to him and kissed him. “Good. Because I wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Rafael chuckled as he slid his arm around her waist. “Come on, Captain Benson, let’s go home to our boy.”

Olivia smiled. “I like the sound of that, Bureau Chief Barba.”

* * *

Unlocking the door to her apartment, Olivia was surprised to see Lucy sitting alone in the living room.

“Where’s Noah?” she asked.

“In his room. He wasn’t interested in his Lego or even watching a movie with me. He just said he was tired and wanted to know if he could go to bed. I got him to take a bath first, but he’s been in his room since he got out. I’ve checked on him a couple times and he was watching a movie on his iPad with Eddie.”

Olivia placed her hand on Rafael’s arm. “Go, Rafa. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Rafael brushed his lips with hers before walking down the hall towards Noah’s room.

“I take you two finally made things official?” Lucy teased.

Olivia smiled. “Yes. He’s home, he loves me, he loves Noah, the rest will work itself out. I really appreciate you staying so long.”

“It was no problem. I had my mom come and stay with him for a little bit yesterday so I could go to class, I figured you wouldn’t mind and I didn’t want to bother you.”

“I don’t mind,” Olivia confirmed. “Tell her thank you for me.”

“I will,” Lucy promised. “Goodnight, Liv.”

* * *

Softly opening the door to Noah’s room, Rafael smiled a little to himself when he saw Noah’s attention was completely on the iPad. 

“So,” he said, taking a seat on the bed next to the boy. “What are we watching?”

Noah looked up at him with wide eyes before scrambling up and wrapping his arms tightly around his neck, much as Olivia had done when he’d shown up in the squad room.

“Uncle Rafa!” Noah exclaimed. “You’re here!”

Rafael hugged the boy tightly to him, closing his eyes and relishing in the feeling of holding the boy again. 

“Why are you dressed like that?” Noah asked, taking in Rafael’s suit pants, dress shirt, and suspenders. 

“I was at work with your mom,” Rafael answered. 

“You and Mom are working together again? That means you’re not leaving again?”

“Yes to both, _mijo_.”

“I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

* * *

Leaning against the doorframe of her son’s room, Olivia watched him and Rafael with a smile. Her boys. Walking over to them, she took a seat next to Rafael, who had Noah on his lap, and smiled when Rafael lifted an arm to include her in their hug. 

“Hi, Mom,” Noah greeted with a smile. 

“Hi, my sweet boy,” Olivia replied, leaning over to press a kiss to the top of his head. “I brought Rafa home.”

Noah nodded happily and then looked up at Rafael. “Are you having a sleepover with Mom?”

“Would that be okay with you?”

Noah nodded again. “Will you make pancakes in the morning?”

Rafael chuckled. “I think I can do that. It’s been a while, though, so I might need some help.”

Noah giggled. “I’ll help you.”

“I guess that’s decided, then,” Olivia said with a laugh as she stood. “I’m going to go take a shower. Maybe Rafa will read you a story.”

“Sure,” Rafael agreed, picking up the discarded iPad and placing it on Noah’s bedside table. “Pick out a book, _mijo_.”

When she heard Rafael call Noah _mijo_ , Olivia felt a swell of love for both of them. The three of them were meant to be together, she was sure of that. She cupped Rafael’s face in her hands and leaned down to kiss him.

“I hope you know you’re stuck with us now,” she told him. 

“I’m not stuck. I’m exactly where I want to be.”

* * *

After her shower, Olivia was surprised to see Rafael rummaging through the bag he’d brought. 

“Noah asleep?” she asked.

Rafael nodded. “He was out half-way through the story.”

“What are you looking for?”

Rafael looked up to answer her, taking in the yoga pants and t-shirt she wore. “The shirt you apparently already claimed.”

“It’s mine now. Just like you,” Olivia said with a smile as she walked over to him and kissed him. 

“Well, it certainly _looks_ better on you,” Rafael replied, giving her another kiss before taking another shirt out of his bag along with a pair of sweatpants. 

“So I can keep it?”

“It and me.”

Olivia grinned. “I’m certainly not going to argue with that statement.”

* * *

Walking back into the bedroom after his own shower, Rafael saw Noah cuddled up with Olivia in the bed. 

“Noah, _mijo_ , I thought you were asleep,” he said. 

“I woke up and you weren’t there anymore and I thought maybe you hadn’t been here at all,” Noah replied. 

“I’m home. I promise,” Rafael said, turning off the lamp on the bedside table and then slipping into bed beside Noah and Olivia. He reached for Noah first, moving him to his right side and holding out his left arm so Olivia could curl into that side. Once both Bensons had pillowed their heads on each of his shoulders, he closed his eyes. He had the love of his life and their son in his arms, and for the first time since before his grandmother died, he finally felt at peace. He was home. 


End file.
